Sunday, October 18, 2015

Ever wonder how people like Coach Nate Davies achieve their level of expertise? Do you also wonder how they are able to pass that knowledge on to others and make a living doing so? FFACT is our Parkour Instructor Certification program, and I'm here to tell you about it.

When we
first opened Free Flow Academy one of our missions was to find and develop
some of the most qualified and experienced Parkour coaches in the world.
Our certification requires practitioners to have trained a minimum of 2 years,
and have completed at a minimum, our 3 day intensive Parkour Certification,
which involves a physical and written test, and a complete progression
breakdown of every skill taught and approved in our Parkour classes.

In a nutshell: The Free Flow Academy Certified Trainer program is
devoted to Movement Science Excellence. Our program is designed to
instill a strong foundation in human anatomy, body mechanics, safety
protocols, kinetic patterning, and progression breakdown while maintaining
the values and history of Parkour.

To better serve your questions we put together this FAQ list - which can also
be found on our Certification websiteHERE:

What is FFACT?

FFACT is an acronym for Free Flow Academy
Certified Trainer. Free Flow Academy is the original Parkour gym in
California, and is the largest Parkour gym on the West Coast. Our academy
started out much like any other, we were a group of athletes, who needed a
place to train and cultivate our talents. After opening our doors, our
classes expanded, and over the course of time, we needed a systematic and
proven approach to train other qualified professionals. Our clientele is
extremely important to us, and as trainers, our highest priority is to keep our
clients safe. We take prospective coaches to the next level and
teach them to incorporate proven and effective methodology that is backed by
Science. Our team of professionals consist of biomechanists, researchers,
developers, creative artists, youth and adult programmers, and entertainers.
All of which play an important role in creating safe, effective, and
entertaining settings that optimize the clientele learning experience. Proper
implementation of skill progressions are an important part of being a coach,
and are meticulously covered during the certification process. Things
that will be covered are skill progressions, human anatomy, terminology,
building confidence in your students, history, philosophy, conditioning
exercises and programming, and much more.

Is FFACT recognized in other other parts of the
world?

Free Flow Academy is recognized world wide
within the Parkour community. In addition, Free Flow Academy
and many FFACT Instructors work directly with California State
agencies, implementing Physical Education programming throughout dozens of
districts.

How do I use FFACT to land jobs as a Parkour
Instructor?

Many gyms all over the world are incorporating Parkour into
their programming. Gymnastic gyms, rockclimbing, martial arts, crossfit,
primal fitness, circus arts, and many other types of gyms have already brought
Parkour programming in some form or another into their business model. If
they haven't already, then they will. However, over the course of the last few
years particularly 2012-2015, many gyms have shut down their Parkour programs
and/or have renamed them under other forms such as "Urban Gym".
This is due to liability issues and insurance companies not allowing Parkour
to be taught at facilities that are not properly equipped or staffed. Having a
FFACT Cert gives you legitimacy as a coach, and reference to draw from when you
are questioned about your qualifications. Furthermore, the knowledge you
obtain from our Certification course will give you the tools you need to
properly implement a safe and successful Parkour program at any
gym. Simply do a search on your local gyms and find out what kind of
programming they offer. If they do not have a Parkour program, perhaps
you can bring one to table. We give you the tools to do that. Starting a
program at a gym is a great way to segue into opening your own Parkour gym.

How long is the Certification?

The Certification is 3 days long 9am - 5pm each
day. Plan on bringing plenty of food, snacks, and water.

What should I wear to the Certification?

You should wear comfortable workout attire, as
the Certification includes a written AND physical test. Wearing low soled
exercise shows such as feiyues are also helpful.

How much money can I make as a Parkour
Instructor?

Our Certified instructors make anywhere
from $15 - $35/hour, depending on the class/size/budget of the program.
Privates usually range from $40 - $120/hour depending on level of
experience and expertise. This amount varies depending on what gym you
are working for, but for a full class (6-8 students) instructors generally
report an average of $20/hour, or per class.

What is included in my Certification?

Skill Progression Key Ring, entry into our
Certified Coaches database, Official Certification, 3 day intensive with
physical and written test.

How do I work for Free Flow Academy?

Our hiring process involves Certification, plus
one of the following - 3 month apprenticeship, or 2 month internship.
Apprenticeship's are for prospective coaches who desire to Coach within a
program or department that currently exists. Internships are for
prospective coaches who desire to start a new program or department that does
not currently exist. In order to enroll in either program, you must have
a minimum of 2 years experience in that particular discipline. You must
be a current member of the gym in order to enroll in our apprenticeship
program, unless your qualifications are a B.S. in Movement Sciences or you
have a certification or educational level that is equivalent.

How do I start my own Parkour Gym?

Starting your own Parkour Gym is an incredibly
rewarding experience, but can also come with some steep challenges. We're
here to support you on your journey. Our Level I Certification does not
cover the basics of starting your own Parkour Gym. This is covered in
Level III, and like all things, before considering taking on such a large
undertaking, you'll want to have a strong foundation. We believe in
setting you up for success, and something like starting a business is a long
term investment. Being informed, and understanding market trends, Google
analytics, market research within your area, knowing and understanding
compliance laws at the Federal, State, and County level, dealing with leasing
contracts or buying commercial property, obtaining insurance, managing a
team of employees, marketing, accounting/bookkeeping... are just a few things
that you'll need to know when starting this venture. Our job is not to
discourage you. Our job is to keep you safe, minimize your risk of
lawsuits, and set you up for a successful and sustainable future.